North Korea fertiliser market: trade, demand and supply
North Korea exported 3 kt of SOP in 2025 (estimate), 0.1% of world exports (the 31st largest exporter).
Years up to 2024 are complete annual data; only 2025, the latest year, is a FertRadar estimate: trade from the monthly customs declarations (UN Comtrade), production from the output reported for 2025. Agricultural use is shown to 2024, the latest year with reported data.
What North Korea trades, 2025
6 products, tonnes of productProducts
Select a row to see the partners. World rank among exporters (X) and importers (M).
| Product | Exports | Imports | Net | Rank X | Rank M | Supplier concentration PRO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diammonium phosphate | 0 kt | 11 kt | −11 kt | #74 | n/a | |
| Sulphate of potash | 3 kt | 0 kt | +3 kt | #31 | n/a | |
| Other fertilisers n.e.c. | 0 kt | 1 kt | −1 kt | #112 | n/a | |
| Sulphur | 0 kt | 0.3 kt | −0.3 kt | #118 | n/a | |
| Urea | 0 kt | 0.1 kt | −0.1 kt | #169 | n/a | |
| Ammonium sulphate | 0 kt | 0.1 kt | −0.1 kt | #136 | n/a |
Download: exports and imports in kt of product, one unit per column.
Diammonium phosphate: partners
Share of North Korea's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Sulphate of potash: partners
Share of North Korea's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No imports in 2025.
Customers
No customer above the publication threshold.
Other fertilisers n.e.c.: partners
Share of North Korea's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Sulphur: partners
Share of North Korea's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Urea: partners
Share of North Korea's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Ammonium sulphate: partners
Share of North Korea's imports or exports, 2025.
Suppliers
No supplier above the publication threshold.
Customers
No exports in 2025.
Main products over time
Six largest products of 2025 on each side, tonnes of product.
kt product.
| Year | Diammonium phosphate | Other fertilisers n.e.c. | Sulphur | Urea | Ammonium sulphate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (estimate) | 10.7 | 1.30 | 0.30 | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| 2024 | 15.1 | 1.10 | 0.30 | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| 2023 | 77.4 | 0.20 | 7.00 | ||
| 2022 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 6.80 | 7.00 |
| 2021 | 25.9 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 22.0 | |
| 2020 | 2.60 | 0.00 | 0.70 | 14.3 | 0.70 |
| 2019 | 22.6 | 0.60 | 1.20 | 87.9 | 6.30 |
| 2018 | 7.10 | 0.30 | 1.00 | 237 | 15.3 |
| 2017 | 2.80 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 111 | 7.30 |
| 2016 | 2.50 | 0.00 | 0.80 | 133 | 3.60 |
| 2015 | 1.40 | 0.00 | 0.60 | 56.8 | 10.6 |
| 2014 | 5.10 | 0.10 | 1.30 | 72.5 | 59.3 |
| 2013 | 6.20 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 117 | 72.6 |
| 2012 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 1.50 | 44.7 | 193 |
| 2011 | 0.00 | 0.40 | 1.10 | 97.7 | 255 |
| 2010 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.40 | 45.6 | 239 |
| 2009 | 0.00 | 1.50 | 72.9 | 50.0 | |
| 2008 | 0.20 | 3.10 | 36.3 | 2.60 | |
| 2007 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.50 | 24.8 | 34.1 |
| 2006 | 0.00 | 0.10 | 5.00 | 103 | 3.70 |
| 2005 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 8.90 | 64.8 | 0.30 |
| 2004 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.80 | 63.7 | 0.00 |
| 2003 | 0.30 | 0.00 | 4.50 | 104 | 0.00 |
| 2002 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 2.10 | 146 | 0.10 |
| 2001 | 0.40 | 0.00 | 5.40 | 165 | 0.10 |
| 2000 | 0.40 | 0.30 | 4.20 | 56.3 | 0.20 |
| 1999 | 0.70 | 0.00 | 2.50 | 26.8 | 0.20 |
| 1998 | 23.5 | 0.10 | 2.20 | 69.4 | 1.70 |
| 1997 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 178 | 0.10 |
| 1996 | 0.10 | 1.20 | 38.9 | 2.00 | |
| 1995 | 0.10 | 0.60 | 1.60 | 0.80 |
Latest 10 years shown. for the full history since 1995, every view and the table.
Nutrient balance
exports minus imports, tonnes of nutrientkt N, exports minus imports.
| Year | Compounds | Intermediates | Nitrogen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (estimate) | −1.90 | −0.10 | |
| 2024 | −2.70 | −0.00 | |
| 2023 | −20.2 | −1.50 | |
| 2022 | −0.00 | −4.20 | |
| 2021 | −4.70 | −10.1 | |
| 2020 | −0.60 | −6.70 | |
| 2019 | −4.50 | −0.00 | −41.7 |
| 2018 | −1.50 | −112 | |
| 2017 | −1.90 | −0.00 | −52.2 |
| 2016 | −1.20 | −0.10 | −61.8 |
| 2015 | −0.40 | −0.80 | −28.1 |
| 2014 | −1.20 | −0.00 | −45.8 |
| 2013 | −1.10 | −0.00 | −68.1 |
| 2012 | −0.10 | −0.10 | −61.0 |
| 2011 | −0.20 | −19.1 | −97.1 |
| 2010 | −0.00 | −0.00 | −71.8 |
| 2009 | −0.00 | −0.00 | −45.2 |
| 2008 | 1.10 | −6.50 | −16.8 |
| 2007 | 0.00 | 0.00 | −16.8 |
| 2006 | −0.20 | −12.4 | −51.4 |
| 2005 | 3.90 | −0.00 | −25.4 |
| 2004 | −0.30 | −0.00 | −32.0 |
| 2003 | −0.70 | −0.00 | −48.3 |
| 2002 | −2.10 | 12.3 | −68.5 |
| 2001 | −3.00 | 0.20 | −76.6 |
| 2000 | −2.40 | −13.7 | −26.9 |
| 1999 | −2.90 | −37.3 | −12.4 |
| 1998 | −6.80 | −0.00 | −32.8 |
| 1997 | −0.20 | −8.20 | −83.8 |
| 1996 | −0.00 | −0.00 | −15.3 |
| 1995 | 0.10 | −0.00 | 8.80 |
Latest 10 years shown. for the full history since 1995, every view and the table.
By product family, 2025
| Family | Exports | Imports | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compounds | 0 kt | 2 kt | −2 kt |
| Intermediates | |||
| Nitrogen | 0 kt | 0.1 kt | −0.1 kt |
| Family | Exports | Imports | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compounds | 0 kt | 5 kt | −5 kt |
| Intermediates | |||
| Phosphate | |||
| Raw materials |
| Family | Exports | Imports | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compounds | |||
| Intermediates | |||
| Potash | 1 kt | 0 kt | +1 kt |
Demand
agricultural consumption, tonnes of nutrient, 1995-2024kt nutrient, agricultural consumption.
| Year | N | P₂O₅ | K₂O |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2.92 | 6.96 | 12.0 |
| 2023 | 21.7 | 0.00 | 12.0 |
| 2022 | 4.22 | 0.00 | 12.0 |
| 2021 | 19.4 | 11.9 | 12.0 |
| 2020 | 29.8 | 1.63 | 13.5 |
| 2019 | 68.8 | 12.0 | 14.9 |
| 2018 | 179 | 3.64 | 16.4 |
| 2017 | 119 | 7.61 | 17.8 |
| 2016 | 128 | 4.58 | 19.3 |
| 2015 | 93.6 | 1.60 | 20.7 |
| 2014 | 112 | 2.64 | 22.2 |
| 2013 | 134 | 2.89 | 23.6 |
| 2012 | 126 | 0.23 | 25.1 |
| 2011 | 172 | 0.18 | 26.5 |
| 2010 | 137 | 0.12 | 28.0 |
| 2009 | 110 | 0.09 | 29.4 |
| 2008 | 82.6 | 0.34 | 30.9 |
| 2007 | 81.7 | 0.02 | 32.3 |
| 2006 | 118 | 0.33 | 33.8 |
| 2005 | 88.6 | 21.3 | 35.2 |
| 2004 | 99.3 | 30.9 | 36.7 |
| 2003 | 51.0 | 21.1 | 38.1 |
| 2002 | 72.5 | 20.4 | 39.6 |
| 2001 | 72.5 | 20.4 | 41.0 |
| 2000 | 111 | 20.4 | 39.0 |
| 1999 | 134 | 20.4 | 40.0 |
| 1998 | 92.8 | 20.4 | 40.0 |
| 1997 | 128 | 20.4 | 40.0 |
| 1996 | 109 | 20.4 | 40.0 |
| 1995 | 210 | 20.4 | 40.0 |
Latest 10 years shown. for the full history since 1995, every view and the table.
Indicators, 2024
Import dependence and growth are part of Pro.
| Indicator | N | P₂O₅ | K₂O |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumption per hectare of cropland, kg (FAO, as published, 2024) | 1.1B | 2.7B | 4.7C |
| Consumption per capita, kg (FAO, as published, 2024) | 0.1B | 0.3B | 0.5C |
| Share of world demand, % | 0.0B | 0.0B | 0.0C |
| Import dependence, net imports / consumption, % PRO | ••• | ••• | ••• |
| Growth of consumption, 5-year compound, % a year PRO | ••• | ••• | ••• |
Supply
production of fertiliser nutrientsProduction, 1995-2025
Tonnes of nutrient produced, each in its own basis.
kt nutrient, production.
| Year | N | P₂O₅ | K₂O |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (estimate) | 82.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2024 | 82.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2023 | 82.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2022 | 79.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2021 | 73.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2020 | 80.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2019 | 23.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2018 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2017 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2016 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2015 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2014 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2013 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2012 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2011 | 75.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2010 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2009 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2008 | 67.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2007 | 65.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2006 | 66.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2005 | 67.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2004 | 67.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2003 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2002 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2001 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 2000 | 33.2 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1999 | 79.6 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1998 | 37.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1997 | 70.3 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1996 | 87.4 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1995 | 110 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Latest 10 years shown. for the full history since 1995, every view and the table.
Self-sufficiency, 2024
Production divided by consumption, by nutrient.
| Indicator | N | P₂O₅ | K₂O |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-sufficiency, production / consumption, % PRO | ••• | ••• | ••• |
Narrow down: North Korea by nutrient and by product
Data pack: North Korea fertiliser market
North Korea, all fertilisers, raw materials and intermediates: demand and supply 1995-2025, trade 1995-2025, partners of the latest year, prices.
- DemandAgricultural consumption of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O, kt of nutrient, with data quality grade.31 rows
- SupplyProduction of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O fertiliser nutrients, kt of nutrient, with grade.31 rows
- IndicatorsIndicators of 2024: total demand, consumption per hectare and per capita, share of world, self-sufficiency, net imports, import dependence, growth.8 rows
- Imports volumeImports by product, kt product, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).25 rows
- Imports valueImports by product, USD million, FOB, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).21 rows
- Imports unit valueImports by product, USD per tonne of product, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).14 rows
- Exports volumeExports by product, kt product, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).17 rows
- Exports valueExports by product, USD million, FOB, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).16 rows
- Exports unit valueExports by product, USD per tonne of product, 1995-2025 (2025 estimated).10 rows
- Nutrient balanceExports, imports and balance in kt of nutrient, by nutrient and product family. Raw materials and intermediates shown apart.30 rows
- PricesWorld Bank benchmarks, monthly averages, nominal US dollars per tonne of product (gas per MMBtu).321 rows
- AdjustmentsCorrections FertRadar applied to the customs data behind this file, with their evidence.4 rows
Also in the file: a Read me sheet (contents, units, how to cite, terms of use), the Sources sheet with every source, its licence and address, and the Definitions sheet with grades and notes.
The full file
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About this data
MethodologyDefinitions5
- Trade
- Sum of all reported bilateral flows of the product in the year, in tonnes of product, after FertRadar adjustments (phantom tonnes imputed, reclassifications, duplicate codes removed).
- Net imports (D10)
- Imports minus exports of fertilisers in nutrient tonnes, from the FertRadar trade matrix (indicator D10). Raw materials and intermediates excluded.
- Demand
- Demand: agricultural consumption of fertiliser nutrients (N, P₂O₅, K₂O), in tonnes of nutrient. Industrial uses of nitrogen are not included. Official statistics where reported, otherwise graded FertRadar estimates (grades A to D).
- Production
- Production of fertiliser nutrients (N, P₂O₅, K₂O), in tonnes of nutrient, as reported by countries; gaps filled with graded FertRadar estimates. Not mine output: mine production and capacity are shown separately.
- Grades
- A official or provisional, B FAO estimate or imputation, C FertRadar estimate anchored on independent data, D FertRadar statistical estimate.
Sources and reliability7
Official statistics and the producers' own documents only, cleaned and reconciled by FertRadar. Every figure keeps a reference to its document, and every correction to the customs data is documented one by one.
- CEPII, BACI (Etalab Open Licence 2.0)
- United Nations Statistics Division, UN Comtrade
- FAO, FAOSTAT (CC BY 4.0)
- U.S. Geological Survey, USGS Minerals Yearbook (Public domain)
- United Nations Statistics Division, Standard country or area codes for statistical use
- DPRK Central Bureau of Statistics, FAO, Statistics Korea, UNEP
- Documents cited by the adjustments: CEPII; USGS; Various companies and regulators
The document, page and date behind each figure are listed in the Pro data files. Sources and licences
Adjustments to the customs data4
FertRadar corrects, reclassifies or annotates customs flows only on documented evidence. Those touching this page: 2 reclassifications and 2 context notes; 2 confirmed by a published figure.
Notes10
- North Korea imported 11 kt of DAP in 2025 (estimate), 0.1% of world imports (the 74th largest importer).
- Agricultural use of fertiliser nutrients was 22 kt in 2024: 3 kt N, 7 kt P₂O₅ and 12 kt K₂O (includes FertRadar estimates).
- Fertiliser production in 2024: 82 kt N (includes FertRadar estimates).
- Exports, imports and balance (exports minus imports) by nutrient and product family. Raw materials and intermediates are shown apart from fertilisers so as not to mix them.
- Trade figures: CEPII BACI with the FertRadar adjustments listed on this page. Tonnes of product unless stated; kt = thousand tonnes, Mt = million tonnes.
- 2025 is a FertRadar estimate from the monthly customs declarations (UN Comtrade), hatched in the charts. Replaced by the annual data when published.
- Values exclude freight and insurance (FOB equivalent). Unit values are customs averages over shipments under different contracts, not market prices.
- Fertiliser use and production: FertRadar best estimate (FAOSTAT values as reported, gaps filled with graded FertRadar estimates). Grades: A official or provisional, B FAO estimate or imputation, C FertRadar estimate anchored on independent data, D FertRadar statistical estimate.
- Years as reported to FAO (some countries report fiscal or fertiliser years). No forecasts.
- Two kinds of production. Nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P₂O₅): fertiliser production, the nutrient contained in the fertiliser products made in the country. Potash (K₂O): mine output, all uses included. Production of raw materials for all uses (phosphate rock, ammonia, sulphur) is shown on the product and capacity pages.
How to cite
FertRadar (2026), "North Korea fertiliser market: trade, demand and supply", fertradar.com, https://fertradar.com/countries/north-korea/, Release 2026.10.